'I was thinking of going to Singapore. May I go?': Another 'leaked Hasina-Taposh phone call' goes viral

Another purported phone conversation from last year between ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her nephew Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, the then mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), has surfaced online.

The audio clip, posted on the Facebook profile of Al Jazeera's journalist Zulkarnain Saer last night (4 August), is divided into two parts.

The Business Standard could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio.

According to the narrative of the second part of the audio, Taposh went to the airport to travel to Singapore. However, immigration authorities stopped him. At that moment, his aunt -- then prime minister -- was contacted by Taposh.

According to Saer, the second part of the audio took place on the morning of 3 August 2024 at 8:16am, where Taposh called Sheikh Hasina, greeted her, and said, "I was thinking of going to Singapore. May I go?"

Hasina: "Yes, go. Why wouldn't you? ...I'm forbidding anyone from taking procession… Everyone must stay gathered in each ward."

In response, Taposh said, "I have already come to the airport. Since the GO (Government Order needed for foreign travel) isn't done yet, they're not letting me through."

Hasina then asked him, "Why didn't you bring the GO with you?"

Taposh replied, "I've applied for it, but by the time it's issued, it could be 11 or 12 o'clock. I'm at immigration now. Can someone at immigration be informed? My flight is about to leave."

How Taposh's photo went viral

Hasina responded, "Yes, it can be said. Have you sent the file?"

Taposh answered, "Yes, the file is being sent to Promito."

Hasina said, "Okay, give it."

Then Taposh asked if Hasina could speak directly with an immigration officer there.

"There's an officer here, the immigration officer."

Hasina then asked, "Does anyone need to be told?"

Taposh said, "Yes, should I hand over the phone?"

Hasina replied, "No, no, why would I talk to him? I can get someone from the office to speak to them."

Taposh asked, "Then whom should I tell?"

Hasina said, "Just inform my secretary, Shah Salauddin."

Taposh double-checked, "Mr Salauddin?" Sheikh Hasina responded, "Yes."

The first part of the audio

Saer claimed that the first part of the audio took place at 11:49am on 22 July, where Taposh, in a "sweet tone," requests to visit his aunt. However, given the tense situation, Hasina discourages him from coming.

In the first part of the phone call, Taposh affectionately pleaded,

"Hasumoni, I wanted to come by, I wanted to see you. May I come?"

Sheikh Hasina replied, "There's no need to come in the middle of all this."

Taposh then said, "Then I'll come around 3pm, after the 2pm..after (curfew) the relaxation?"

Hasina said, "I will be at the office then. I've called in the businessmen."

Taposh replied, "Okay, then I'll meet you then."

Hasina asked, "What…What happened?"

Taposh responded, "Nothing really."

His aunt Sheikh Hasina then said, "Why would you move outside of home in this situation?"

Taposh answered, "I was planning to open the office anyway, and go to Nagar Bhaban."

He mentioned that waste management and such services have been halted, and he need to go and get those cleaned up. "After that, I'll meet you after 2pm."

On 3 August last year, leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement held a massive rally at the capital's central Shaheed Minar and announced a single point for the resignation of the government led by then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Previously, Al Jazeera verified another leaked phone conversation between Hasina and Taposh, in which, the Awami League president was heard instructing her nephew to take harsh measures against protesters, including the possible use of helicopters to control demonstrations during the 2024 July Uprising.

The audio captures Hasina instructing the former Dhaka South mayor, saying, "Wherever they notice any gathering, it's from above – now it's being done from above – it has already started in several places. It has begun. Some [protesters] have moved."

According to another leaked audio, verified by Al Jazeera, Sheikh Hasina "gave an open order" to "use lethal weapons" on the protesters last year, instructing security forces to shoot "wherever they find them".